The present invention relates to anionic oligosaccharides intended for therapeutic and/or prophylactic use, for the administration of active ingredient(s) to humans or to animals.
The oligosaccharides according to the invention containing carboxyl groups have, because of their structure and their biocompatibility, some value for the pharmaceutical industry, especially for the stabilization of active ingredients, for example of protein active ingredients.
Surprisingly and despite the reduction of the length of the macromolecular chain, the oligosaccharides according to the invention preserve the property of creating interactions with active ingredients, for example protein active ingredients.
Moreover, the functionalization of these oligosaccharides by carboxyl groups advantageously makes it possible to modulate the forces of interaction brought into play between the oligosaccharide and the active ingredient.
The aim of the present invention is to provide oligosaccharides intended for the stabilization, administration and delivery of active ingredients which can be prepared by methods that are relatively simple to carry out. The aim of the present invention is thus to provide oligosaccharides capable of allowing the stabilization, administration and delivery of a wide range of active ingredients.
The aim of the present invention is also to obtain oligosaccharides with a degree of functionalization with anionic groups which may be higher than two carboxylate groups per saccharide unit.
The aim of the invention is also the production of oligosaccharides which may exhibit a biodegradability that is sufficiently rapid and appropriate for their use in the preparation of a large category of pharmaceutical formulations, including for medicaments intended for chronic administration and/or with a high frequency. In addition to the requirement for a modulable biodegradability after administration, the aim of the invention is to provide oligosaccharides which meet the constraints established by the pharmaceutical industry, especially in terms of stability under normal preservation and storage conditions and especially in solution.